Shloka 23

दमयन्ती–बाहुकसंवादः

Damayantī’s Dialogue with Bāhuka; Recognition and Disclosure

Devanagari script

बृहृदश्च उवाच एवमुक्तस्य केशिन्या नलस्य कुरुनन्दन । ह्ृदयं व्यथितं चासीदश्रुपूर्ण च लोचने,बृहदश्च मुनि कहते हैं--युधिष्ठिर! केशिनीके ऐसा कहनेपर राजा नलके हृदयमें बड़ी वेदना हुई। उनकी दोनों आँखें आँसुओंसे भर गयीं

Transliteration

Bṛhadaśva uvāca: evam uktasya keśinyā nalasya kurunandana | hṛdayaṃ vyathitaṃ cāsīd aśrupūrṇaṃ ca locane ||

Translation

ブリハダシュヴァは語った。「クル族の喜びよ、ケーシニーがそのようにナラ王に告げたとき、彼の心は深く痛み、両の眼は涙で満ちた。」

Word by Word

बृहदश्चBrihadashva (the sage)

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

उक्तस्यof (him) who had been spoken to / addressed

केशिन्याby Keshinī

नलस्यof Nala

कुरुनन्दनO delight of the Kurus (Yudhiṣṭhira)

हृदयम्the heart

व्यथितम्pained, distressed

चand

आसीत्was

अश्रुपूर्णेfilled with tears

चand

लोचनेthe two eyes

Speaker

बृहृदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Keśinī

Nala

Kurunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of truthful speech and its emotional consequences: even a great king like Nala is moved to visible sorrow, suggesting that sensitivity and compassion are integral to dharma, not signs of weakness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bṛhadaśva’s narration to Yudhiṣṭhira, Keśinī has just spoken to Nala; her words strike him deeply, causing inner anguish and tears, marking a turning point of intense personal suffering within the Nala episode.